The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-06-11


her home. After every thing was ready
Laura and l stood at the door in flutter.
sit seems as if our fairy godmother was
coming" said Laura.
Presently we saw them. Jean drove up
smiling and competent, and helped Aunt
Penniman to alight. The old lady stepped
briskly toward US, gave US each a hasty
kiss, and then went into the parlor where
mother met her.
''The trunks will be here in minute, u
said Jean; 'the expressman is bringing
them. Three he is now!n
Such load of them! Six trunks, all old
fashioned leather ones, and three carpet
bags Jean saw them carried upstairs paid
the driver, and then we joined Aunt PEN
niman. She was not the lofty patrician-
looking old lady we had imagined, but
shrewd and good-natured in expression,
with a face still round and full, and with
bright black eyes, and alas! for Laura S
hair-dressing, a smooth brown foretop and
cap. She was tired after her long journey,
but still lively and talkatlve and pleased
with everything.
''What a beautiful room" she said, when
we took her upstairs. st seems just like
home to me. One of the rooms in my house,
when my husband was living, was just like
this"
She enjoyed her lunch and ate heartily.
We were glad to see that she said nothing
of dyspepsia, or of fear that the tea would
keep her awake. And as she began she
went on, with an even, cheerful manner,
that set US at case. The day after her ar
rival, she entertained us for hours with
accounts of her former glories. She said
that when she went to Providence in her
early married life, she wore silk dress
that lay on the ground more than yard,
and when she walked on the street she had
q little negro boy to follow behind her and
carry her train She said that the Governor
himself once sent her basket of cham
payne when she was going to entertain
some distinguished guests at dinner, and at
a convention held in Providence, when she
entered late, more than twenty gentlemen
sprang up to offer her seat.
ooh, yes, indeed girls p she said, smil-
ing, II was at that time called the belle of
the city, and more than one of the English
nobility has visited at my house. | may
even tell you privately now, though it was
then a state secret, that royalty in disguise
once found home with your uncle and
me''
WAS it the Dauphin2" l asked, eagerly;
for l had just been reading French history.
mot a word more! Not a word more p
she said meaningly, and then drifted off
into description of her curtains, her paint
ings, and her furniture and china. These
things, as she explained the nephews of
her husband had taken from her after his
death. "a little tricky, those Pernimans T"
she added, with a sober shake of her head
We were all very much interested in
these recitals. Laura especially listened,
with wide eyes and glowing cheeks, declar-
ing it was better than fairy tale.
800 you believe all she says?" | asked
Jean when we presently went out to pre-
pare a tray of sweet cakes and chocolate
''Of course,n she said, rather shortly.
"You know we have always heard that she
was wealthy, and very fond of gay society"
She was sociable still, for she soon began
to come into the kitchen TO talk while l was
cooking, and if any of our friends called,
Aunt Pennlman never failed to be in the
room. She would seat herself in the big
rocking-chair when Doctor Harry came to
see Jean, and would beam upon them the
whole evening, unless they went out to
walk. Some days, however, she would
seem little preoccupied and would shut
herself up for hours in her room, explain
ing afterward that she had been Choking
through her trunks.n We used to wonder
what there was in those six trunks, and we
had visions of rich old laces, grapes and
brocades. We meant, if we should ever be
invited to fancy dress ball, to borrow our
costumes from Aunt Peuniman.
April was melting into May, and the
leaves were well out on the trees, when one
mild morning Laura found Aunt Penniman
on the back porch watching two little
brown birds over by the fence
"See!" she said, delightedly; ''there are
two little wrens that used to be in our yard
in Providence They have followed me
here"
Laura laughed and thought it a very
pretty fancy; but when later on a friend
brought her some trailing arbutus, and she
ran upstairs to get her green Japanese
bowl, to set in the parlor for the flowers,
Aunt Penniman made vigorous opposition.
''No, no, child" she said. 81 have had
that bowl for forty years, and never let any
one touch it but myself, so it should not get
broken. Ask your mother for some com
mon vase-really, child, l can not let you
take my BOWL"
Laura thought she was joking, but the old
explained to her that myself bought it for
Laura the last Christmas, she paid no at
tention, but held it the tighter and seemed
to be growing nervous.
SO went to mother and told her. Mother
said, quietly:
''She is getting little childish, think
Old people often do. l wouldn't seem to
notice it; she will forget it by tomorrow u
1t was when she had been with US about
six weeks, and had become quite one Of the
family, that one afternoon, when Jean and
Laura were both out, coaXed mother tc
take little walk with me in the sunshine
Aunt Penniman urged our going, and said
she would keep house till we returned. We
were absent less than an hour, but when
we came back we found every article in the
parlor moved and changed about, so that
we hardly knew the room. Aunt PENN
man sat on the sofa, tanning herself and
smiling.
II thought would fix the room up" she
said, complacently, 'because l was expect
ing call from my beau; but he did no
come after ALL"
''It's just little eccentricity," said Jean
when she heard of it.
But Jean now began to study her ac
counts more than ever, and to look more
worried over them, for bills were running
up as they never did before. We felt bounC
, 20 consult Aunt Penniman's tastes, know
/ ing she had been used to good living, anC